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She may have offered up a forced smile earlier, but he’d caught that swift intake of breath, noted the pulse at the base of her throat that had kicked up. He’d had to turn and walk away before he did something even more out of character, like grip the back of her head and put his lips on hers. That would certainly get the town talking even more, but he wouldn’t do that to Melanie and he wouldn’t put his reputation on the line right in the middle of the damn Quicky Mart.
Why was it this woman intrigued him and had him losing his mind with want? Was it that she’d clearly been through hell with her ex, yet she seemed so strong, so resilient? She wasn’t afraid to speak her mind and never backed down from his witty banter. She threw it right back at him, and damn if that wasn’t sexier than her curvy shape and expressive eyes.
In the seven months she’d been in town, he’d already determined there were several layers to Melanie Ramsey, and he had the pressing need to unwrap each and every one of them.
When the hell had he turned into a masochist? Someone like Mel would want flowers and nice restaurants and commitment. She’d been hurt in the past and she wasn’t a short-term-fling type of girl. He knew without a doubt that their night together was out of character for her, but he hadn’t been about to turn her away. If she’d wanted to use him to get over whatever hell she battled, then use away.
Tanner changed from his uniform to a pair of running shorts and a gray T-shirt. If Melanie didn’t show, he’d get in some boxing in his basement. He needed to let some of his frustrations out and pounding his heavy bag was always his go-to. Well, there were other, more primal ways, but boxing always did the trick, too.
After putting his gun away in the safe in his bedroom, Tanner headed downstairs. Maybe he’d go ahead and get a fire going in the pit. The evening had turned cooler, which made this the perfect night to sit out with a beer and relax.
Fall in Haven was his favorite time of year. Nice warm days, but evenings hanging by a fire with friends and a beer to just relax from the day. He desperately needed this downtime. He could always get in the boxing later.
Just as Tanner grabbed the matches from the drawer in his kitchen, his doorbell rang. He couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face, or the arousal that pumped through him.
Looked like Melanie couldn’t turn down his offer after all.
Tanner set the matches on the kitchen island and headed down the narrow hall toward the foyer. With a flick of the lock, he pulled the door wide and nearly snarled at the uninvited guest.
“What do you want?”
Cash stood on the other side of the door, hands shoved in the pockets of his jeans. His black T-shirt with gym logo stretched across his broad chest and outlined those ridiculous muscles he had. The tats only made him seem even more menacing, but Cash was one of the nicest guys Tanner knew. He just didn’t want him here right now.
“Good evening to you, too, sunshine.” Cash pushed past Tanner and stepped into the entryway. “I would’ve let myself in but it was locked.”
“Because you weren’t invited.” Tanner closed the door and turned to face his cousin. “Again, what do you want?”
Cash raised one dark brow. “I take it you’re expecting a woman and I’m in the way?”
“Something like that.”
“Then I’ll make it quick.” Cash shoved his hands in his pockets. “I’ve got an issue at the gym and I’m going to need your help.”
Intrigued, Tanner nodded. Family always came first. Always. “What’s up?”
“A client overheard some chatter between two guys. The gist of what she heard was that these guys have been using my gym as a meeting place to deal drugs. I have no clue the type or if this is even true, but I need to know what actions I should be taking or if you just need to get involved.”
Next to abusers, drugs got Tanner fired up and ready to spring into action. Unfortunately, they were everywhere now. Small towns weren’t exempt from drugs or their dealers. If anything, they were the new stomping ground because too many people believed they were safe in rural America.
“You can’t accuse anyone of anything without concrete proof,” Tanner stated, already thinking how they could get to the actual truth. “Do you have the names of these guys? If they’ve been in trouble before, I’d recognize them and maybe we can go from there.”
His doorbell rang before Cash could answer.
“Ah, the lady of the evening?” Cash asked as he reached around Tanner to grip the doorknob. “Who will be on the other side?”
Tanner stepped aside, knowing full well who’d be standing on his porch. He didn’t want anyone to know he’d asked Melanie over. Nobody knew of their night together and out of respect for her, he intended to keep their secret locked away. That didn’t mean he wasn’t ready to revisit it in private with her, though.
Cash jerked the door open and a second later he let out a low chuckle before throwing a glance over his shoulder at Tanner.
“Well, well, well,” Cash drawled out with a wide smile as he turned his attention back to Melanie. “Isn’t this interesting?”
“I can come back.”
Melanie started to turn, but Cash reached out and gripped her arm. “Come on in, darlin’. I was just heading out and I do believe my cousin was expecting you.”
Tanner stepped back to make room for Melanie. She met his gaze and raised her brows. “I don’t want to interrupt.”